The Royal Sorcerer's Apprentice
by RavettiWrites
Summary: <html><head></head>Sofia and Cedric have developed a friendship of sorts over the years but now it could turn into something more. This is the beginning of the journey.</html>
1. Prologue

The night sky was lit up with stars twinkling and the moon cast a beautiful silvery light onto the Kingdom of Enchancia.

It didn't seem like that long ago when Sofia and her mother came to live at the castle but the time had flown by; she had graduated from Royal Prep Academy last year and spent the following summer trying to decide whether or not she would stay in Enchancia to continue in her studies or leave for adventures abroad. So many things had changed – her animal friends had all been replaced by new ones, her stepsister Amber had become her most valued confidant, and James had joined a renowned flying derby team. All of these changes and Sofia wasn't entirely certain she was ready for more.

Over the years it had become apparent to all who watched Sofia grow and mature that she not only had a wonderful heart, but the patience and skill to become a great Sorceress. She spent hours with the Royal Sorcerer learning to turn rocks into rubies when she was younger and even now it was still one of her favorite tricks to perform for the village children, it was during one of those fateful trips to the village near the end of the summer that Sofia made up her mind – she could offer more than rubies, she could really make a difference.

Cedric, having once been a bumbling Royal Sorcerer, had honed his skills and vastly improved his magical abilities; although he appeared to have gained confidence through the years with Sofia's support and encouragement, he simply claimed he 'finally realized his potential for greatness.' When King Roland asked Cedric to become a Royal Mentor to Sofia and help guide her along her path as a new Sorceress, Cedric seemingly had no other choice but to give a reluctant, "Of course, your majesty."

Sofia lay in her bed staring at her ceiling, restless and wide awake; tomorrow was her first day as an official Sorcerer's Apprentice and her anxiety was getting the best of her. Over the years she had always been fond of sorcery and Cedric had always been a helpful tutor when it came to practicing for school. Tomorrow, however, was different; tomorrow she would be Cedric's official apprentice and all she wanted to do was make him proud.

A cool breeze came in from outside bringing with it a sense of calm. Sofia closed her eyes and fell asleep while in deep thought.


	2. Chapter 1

Morning came swiftly and without warning - her first day as a Sorcerer's Apprentice and she was going to be late!

Sofia rushed to get dressed, throwing on her newly appointed robes and simultaneously brushing her teeth. Any other day and she would have felt ridiculous but she was in too much of a hurry to care this morning. As she ran down the hall and approached the stairs to Cedric's workshop she cringed as she realized that she had not taken off her slippers, 'no turning back now,' she thought as she entered Cedric's workshop hurriedly and hoping he wouldn't notice.

"You're late!" Cedric exclaimed, "And you had the audacity to barge in to this space without even so much as one of your all-too-familiar knocks. This is not looking promising Princess."

"I am sorry; I was up late and couldn't sleep. I had so many things on my mind." Sofia said as she quickly crossed over to her new mentor's side.

"Well, when I was your age, I was early to bed and early to rise. No tardiness is acceptable," exclaimed Cedric in over-dramatic fashion.

"Really? And how long ago was that?" Sofia teased.

Cedric shot her a look and disdain formed on his face, "You know, reminding me that I am 20 years your senior is not going to curry any favors here. Besides, even in my old age I remember to take off my slippers in the morning…"

Sofia blushed and looked down while Cedric smirked in glorious triumph but, when her gaze came back up to meet his, they both burst out in laughter.

Over the years, Cedric and Sofia had become friends of sorts. Cedric had long given up his quest to obtain Sofia's amulet and with her encouragement and support, he had gained much needed confidence and become quite a capable sorcerer. Sofia had always made the habit of coming to Cedric for help regarding magic but after a while she would come to him to simply talk. This bond between them had made each one oblivious as to how the other had matured.

Sofia had blossomed into a lovely young lady, looking much like her mother. Amber's influence had given her an appreciation for fine clothing and a sturdy sense of style; she had also taken on some of James' sarcastic and playful traits. Overall, Sofia was turning out to be a fine young woman with an ambitious spirit for adventure.

As for Cedric, he had become a somewhat confident Sorcerer; performing in front of countless royals, impressing everyone bearing witness to his talent. His frame was still thin but he his chest broadened with age and filled his robes for a more commanding presence. The two streaks of white remained in his now salt and pepper hair, now with matching salt and pepper stubble on days he was not performing for royals. Although more confident in his magical abilities, he was still recluse and enjoyed his time in his tower workshop.

"So, what is on the agenda for today oh great and powerful Cedric the Sensational?"

"Reading these," said Cedric, shoving a very large stack of dusty books in her general direction without looking up.

Sofia groaned heavily and rolled her eyes and as she turned away, Cedric's thin lips turned upward in an ever-so-slight smile.

Today was going to be a long first day.


	3. Chapter 2

One month in and Sofia had gone through every book in Cedric's workshop. The tower had become a comfortable place for her, no long just Cedric's lair but a place where she felt at home.

Evening was coming fast and Cedric sat on one of the work benches, twirling his wand in his fingers while Sofia paced back and forth biting her nails nervously.

"Merlin's Field Guide, page 72," he shouted.

"Chapter 4: Mushroom's Magical Properties" she cried, exasperated.

"Good, what does he say about the Red Dotted Brown Cap?"

"Good for eating raw, bad for potions because their powers are lost when cooked in a cauldron."

"WRONG!"

Cedric hopped off the bench and walked briskly over to Sofia, grabbing her shoulders and staring at her intensely.

"You're thinking of the White Dotted Red Cap! The Red Dotted Brown Cap is poisonous and should not be used for potions or for eating; what are you trying to do, Princess, kill someone?!"

Sofia felt her eyes start to water and she quickly stopped herself and gained her composure. Cedric slid his hands from her shoulders and down her arms, grasping her elbows and softening his expression.

"I am sorry Mr. Cedric, it was a lot to learn and so many books to read…" Sofia trailed off, feeling herself start to become upset again.

"Enough with this, 'Mr. Cedric,' nonsense; you haven't called me that since you were 10 years old." He took one of his hands from her elbow and placed it beneath her chin, bringing it up and forcing her eyes to meet his, "I know we're moving quickly but all you need to do is ask me to slow down and we can focus on the areas that are most troublesome. This is not a race my dear."

Her chin quivered slightly and her eyes began to water, there was no stopping her tears from flowing this time. She came in for a hug and buried her head deep into his robes and he enveloped her, resting his head on hers. This wasn't the first time they had hugged but, in the past 11 years, never before had Cedric embraced her back so tightly, something that surprised them both. As Sofia found comfort in his embrace and the soft velvety robes on her face, she felt her heart skip a beat and feelings stir deep within that she had never experienced before.

Cedric pulled her away, gently wiping the tears from her face before sarcastically telling her that she was going to ruin his favorite robe by staining it with tears. They laughed a little and she was dismissed for the evening.

Sofia trudged back to her room, not bothering to go down to the hall for dinner, and crumpled into her bed. Her mind was racing but sleep came to her easily.


	4. Chapter 3

After Sofia left, Cedric let out a sigh and sat heavily on a nearby stool and placed his head in his hands. He could still smell her on his robes and it was intoxicating.

'What came over me?' he thought to himself.

In all their years together, he had never felt this way. Sofia was just a girl…but she wasn't anymore; she had grown into a 19 year-old young woman.

'What was I thinking, holding her so tightly?!' he scolded himself silently. He had come to want to comfort and protect Sofia before but this was the first time he had wanted her to see that. For the first time in his life Cedric wanted someone to see him, not the wall around him, and he wanted to feel her pressed against him.

His heart felt like it was going to explode.

'Perhaps she didn't notice. That's right. She won't remember a thing and we can resume as normal on Monday,' he thought to himself. With that, he got up and tried to dismiss any notion that things were different.

Per routine, he tidied up around the workshop and before turning in for the night, he took off his robes, buried his nose deep into the folds, and inhaled deeply – smelled just a touch like jasmine.

Sleep would not come easy for Cedric but once there, he floated on his dreams.


	5. Chapter 4

Sofia awoke well rested, like she had slept for years. Her peaceful was instantaneously shattered when all of her thoughts from the previous day came rushing back to her.

She rolled over in her bed, clutching her comforter tighter and wrapping it securely around her. With her eyes squeezed tight and her brow furrowed, she imagined Cedric's velvety robes and comfort immediately washed over her. Her eyes snapped open and her mind began to race again.

If she was being completely honest with herself, she was always fond of Cedric. She always found comfort and solace with him and he was often the first person she would turn to when she wanted to talk about something bothering her. Was the idea of her being attracted to him so far-fetched? When he held her so tightly, it seemed like it lasted forever but it was just a split second. Was she reading too much into this? Was her imagination running away with her? All of these thoughts swirled in her head and she needed to focus.

"Enough," she said aloud while forcing herself to sit up straight.

'I have been stressed out and obviously I am not thinking clearly.' Almost as that thought concluded, she heard her name being called from down the hall.

"Sofia! Aren't you up yet?!" cried Amber's shrill and familiar voice; it was a welcome distraction.

Amber never bothered knocking and burst into Sofia's room with glee, her face paused for a moment as she looked Sofia over.

"You look terrible. Did you sleep at all?"

"I did, in fact, and I went to bed so early that I skipped dinner. I am starving!"

"Umm, you plan on showering before breakfast, right?"

Sofia rolled her eyes but knew her sister was right. She had been too tired to eat or shower the night before and she must still look it.

"I was thinking that I would just ward off all showers and start a new trend. You can be the flawlessly clean and fashionable sister; I will take on the role of dirty Sorceress extraordinaire!"

"Please, Sofia, we all know you can thank me for your keen fashion sense. You're welcome!"

"Whatever; meet you downstairs for breakfast in 15."

Amber turned and exited just as swiftly as she came in. Sofia rolled out of bed and made an attempt at taking a relaxing shower. She tried to stop all thoughts of Cedric from entering her mind and try to focus on spending the morning with her sister.

Fifteen minutes later, she met Amber at breakfast and the two gossiped about trivial things over omelets and a variety of sausages. It was obvious to Amber that something was not right and after the trivial topics ended, Amber just stared at Sofia.

"What are you looking at?"

"Well, I am waiting to hear why you have a wrinkle on your forehead."

"I do not! Do I? Wait, there is nothing wrong."

"You're a terrible liar Sofia. You always get that crease on your forehead when something is bothering you. Spill it."

Sofia looked around at the staff bustling about and motioned for Amber to come with her as she stood up and headed towards the exit to the Garden. Once they were a safe distance from the castle and out of earshot from everyone, Sofia stopped walking and turned to Amber.

"I…I think I might be attracted to someone."

"What?! That is marvelous! Why are you so upset over that? I want details, tell me everything about him!"

"I don't think you understand. I am not sure I am even attracted to him. Something happened, he hugged me, and that was it. I think I might be making this up in my head."

"Wait, a hug? That's it? How are you sure you're not attracted to this mystery guy? Is he a price? Tell me who he is, I must know. Does he like you? Did he say?"

"He hasn't said anything. I was upset about something and he hugged me and that was it…but Amber, when he hugged me, it felt unbelievable. I felt like we were floating and all I wanted to do was bury my head deeper into his chest. I am not sure if this is the stress talking or what."

"Ohhh, it sounds like you have a crush! If he didn't say anything, I am not so sure there is anything to it. Tell me, who is he!"

"I am never telling! You are terrible at keeping secrets…but I still love you. Besides, you're probably right. There is nothing there and I have a ridiculous crush that I need to get over."

"Who says that you need to get over your crush? Why don't you tell him?"

"Umm, because that would be super awkward…" she trailed off. She wanted to add that in addition to being an awkward confession, she would make him feel awkward and, since they have to see each other every day for the foreseeable future, it would make for a very awkward work environment…but she knew she couldn't say any of that without revealing to Amber who she was talking about. If she knew Amber, and she did, it wouldn't be long before she was snooping around and trying to find out who she was talking about anyway.

"Well, if I were you, I would focus on the future and if this mystery man is the real deal then something will happen." This was oddly sound advice coming from Amber.

Sofia hugged her sister tightly and thanked her for helping clear her thoughts. After finishing their stroll in the garden, Sofia retired back to her room to lounge and re-read some of the books she was having trouble with. Amber was right, she needed to focus. The rest of the weekend, her meals were brought to her room and Sofia didn't allow herself to take a bite unless she correctly recalled a tidbit from her studies. She ate well!


	6. Chapter 5

By the time Monday rolled around, Sofia was anxious to get back to the tower. She arrived on time, knocked her familiar polite knock, and waited for Cedric to call her inside. Even though this was a comfortable place for her, she made it a point to knock ever since her first day's mishap.

"The door's open," she heard Cedric call from inside.

Invigorated by her new-found zest for the subject matter, she darted inside quickly and excitedly buzzed about.

"My, my, aren't we chipped this morning."

"Cedric, ask me anything. The difference between White Dotted Red Cap mushrooms and Red Dotted White Cap mushrooms. I even know about the rare Speckled Brown and Red mushrooms that Merlin mentions in Chapter 18, page 507, and their ability to cloak the taste of nearly any substance and why this came in handy when his Aunt cooked."

Cedric looked genuinely shocked and Sofia reveled in her freshly gained knowledge.

"I suppose this warrants a celebration! I picked up the annotated copy of Merlin's Field Guide for you," he said dryly. Once again, Sofia rolled her eyes at him as he smiled. She wasn't going to let him ruin the mood!

The day dragged on with her taking very few breaks from reading while Cedric tinkered away with potions. Although their playful banter remained at a minimum it seemed like, for all intents and purposes, things were back to normal and neither one of them mentioned the previous Friday's events.

Sofia was nearly done with the book as the evening rolled around. She had skipped lunch to furiously take notes and burn through the pages.

At the close of the day, she took her new book with her and Cedric called after her, half-jokingly, "I hope you have a full report on the annotated version by tomorrow morning!" Challenge accepted.

As Sofia bounded down the stairs, Cedric breathed a heavy sigh of relief. Things were returning back to normal, even if he hadn't washed his robe since she hugged him.


	7. Chapter 6

The night was spent taking more notes and reviewing her previous ones. Sofia fell asleep confident that she could impress her mentor the next day.

As dawn broke, Sofia was up showering and preparing for her moment of glory. She was early to rise and thought that this would be most impressive to Cedric! She skipped through the halls at record pace, jogged up the worn tower stairs, and burst through the door wildly exclaiming she could recite word-for-word every annotation made in her text.

There, standing in the center of the workshop, was Cedric, sans his robes and wearing only his trousers. He was knelt down in a ritual circle, a look of pure surprise on his face.

Sofia knew she was early and, in all of her excitement, forgot to knock. 'What a silly and stupid mistake,' she thought to herself. She couldn't help but notice Cedric's bare chest. He had almost tribal looking markings on his upper arm, part of his chest, and on his back; they were not quite like tattoos, as they seemed to emit a faint glow. Sofia was so entranced by these markings that she didn't hear him call to her the first time…

"Princess. Are you listening to me?" Her face started to flush as Cedric rose from his crouched position.

"I, uh, I am sorry… I should have knocked."

"Too late for good manners I suppose," he said as he started to move toward her.

She felt a rush of blood to her head. Was he coming to embrace her again? She wondered what his skin felt like and suddenly had a longing to feel the exposed skin of his chest under her fingertips.

"Are you going to move or should I transport my robes to me?"

Cedric's tone was stern. Sofia looked behind her and sure enough, there were Cedric's robes hanging on the wall. She sidestepped out of the way as he grabbed at them hastily.

"You. Out. Now. Let's try and start this morning over correctly." He held the door open with one hand, his robes in the other, and she quickly ran out before he slammed the door behind her.

He never felt so empowered, his heart was racing. In a way, he was glad she saw him, but he dismissed the thought quickly and put his robes on. A few moments later, a knock at the door; one that was all-too-familiar.

"Enter."

Sofia came inside, head down at first, eyes darting around the room. She grinned sheepishly and stammered another, 'sorry,' before she was cut off quickly.

"It seems as though the learning of all this new material has made you forget the simple common courtesy of knocking! My morning routine has never been witnessed by anyone and I don't intend on gaining an audience now."

Sofia tried to find the right words to say but was still distracted by the image of Cedric crouched on the floor. He had looked so raw, vulnerable, yet so powerful. Her thoughts were interrupted again by Cedric's voice.

"Do you have anything to say for yourself?" Cedric feigned disdain well, but he knew he couldn't keep up the act forever.

"I am sorry Cedric. I promise, it will never happen again. I am so sorry," Sofia was genuine. She truly didn't want to offend or disrespect him in any way.

"Well then, apology accepted."

The day went on in near silence and Sofia reviewed and cataloged supplies slower than usual. Cedric barely looked at her all day and kept himself seemingly busy tinkering at one of his workbenches. Neither knew what to say or how to break this awkward silence and when evening rolled around, quiet 'good evenings' were exchanged and no eye contact made.


	8. Chapter 7

Cedric wasn't sure how to feel and being trapped in his workshop all day was doing him no good. He left the tower after the castle had gone silent and descended to his favorite peaceful place, the castle gardens; everyone thought him a recluse, which he quite enjoyed, but the truth of the matter is that he loved the gardens at night. The vines that climbed the walls were littered with beautiful night blooming jasmine, his favorite scent, and the sweet smell hung delicately in the warm night air; the moon was bright tonight, casting evening shadows under the starry sky.

The gardens were seemingly endless and, if you were not careful, you could get lost in their beauty; Cedric seemed to do just that, he must have walked for at least a couple miles now and veered away from his beloved jasmine covered walls. His concentration was broken by a combination soft humming from around the bend and clouds covering the bright moon. He had made a loop within the gardens and from where he stood he could see his tower, windows dark, looming in the distance; as he rounded the corner he spied none other than Sofia in a purple silky nightshirt that hung to her knees. She was facing toward his tower, reclined on one of the many statues in the gardens as though it was her personal support structure. Cedric hid close to the wall, in the shadows, unable to approach her and unwilling to turn back.

"Oh Cedric," she sighed softly, while continuing to gaze at the darkened tower. She smiled brightly and the clouds came away from the moon as if she warded them off with her smile.

At first, Cedric panicked at the thought that he had been discovered but couldn't contain his smile when he realized that she was talking to herself. He stood as silent as he could manage and could almost hear her heart beating…or was it his own?

Sofia had taken to lying on a nearby bench and staring blankly into the night sky. In the brighter moonlight, it was apparent that she carried with her the apprentice robes she wore almost daily; they were tucked neatly under her head. She adjusted herself slightly and resumed her humming.

'What is she doing here? Why is she staring at my tower? Why is she calling my name? What does all of this mean? Am I crazy?' all questions that were jumbled in Cedric's mind. He tried to control his breath and started to inhale deeply – a slight smell of jasmine.

Time seemed to slow and after what seemed like hours, Sofia finally started her walk back to the castle. Cedric stayed behind a while, trying to gather himself before turning in for the night. The very thought of falling for Sofia made his head spin and Cedric struggled with the idea of being more than a mentor and friend; he had a duty to serve the royal family and the moral obligations alone weighed on his mind more heavily than he would like to admit. After a few moments of wrestling with these thoughts, Cedric headed back to his tower and fell into a deep sleep with the sound of Sofia calling his name at the forefront of his mind.

That night they both made a vow of silence.


	9. Chapter 8

The following months went by quickly and normality had returned to the relationship between Cedric and Sofia. Of course, Amber had been asking Sofia about her mystery many every chance she got when they were alone but after a few weeks of less-than-juicy updates, she lost interest and decided to not bring it up again. Sofia still cared deeply for Cedric but hid her feelings as best as she knew how.

Cedric had become focused on preparing his workshop for the actual practice of spells. It was time for Sofia to move past reading and taking notes, it was time for her to start working on practical magic and laying the foundation as a Sorceress. They were going to start with basic improvements and maintenance of the castle grounds but first they needed to inventory and stock the workshop on Friday so that Cedric had time to obtain necessary supplies, if need be, in order to start bright and early on the following Monday.

Sofia arrived with a blueberry muffin in hand for Cedric, for which he was most appreciative of since he didn't bother to think of eating that morning. After the quick bite, they set to work with clipboards and quills in hand. They worked through lunch and as dusk approached they were not even halfway done with their job.

"It seems I have severely misjudged how long this task was going to take. You can retire for the evening Princess, I can take it from here."

"Wouldn't dream of letting you have all the fun! I signed up for the task and I have to complete it otherwise you'll be accused of being nice, and having a heart, and we wouldn't want that would we?"

Cedric smiled at her snarky remark and shook his head, "I suppose there is no point in arguing. Let's finish this section of roots and bulbs and grab a bite to eat. It is going to be a long night and I could most certainly use the break."

Two hours passed and they finally placed the last jar back onto the roots and bulb section of the workshop. Cedric handed the clipboard to Sofia for her to double-check that last entry and once that was completed, they both proclaimed in unison, "I am starving!"

"I can conjure something up for us, just let me know what you're in the mood for, watch and learn," Cedric chirped, all too confidently.

"Aww, do we have to? We're out of Speckled Brown and Red mushrooms and I am not in the mood to pretend that you've prepared something delicious!"

"Watch it Princess, or you will find yourself eating boiled Goblin's Root," he warned, stifling a chuckle, "I'll have you know that I am a fine cook! I am sure someone would attest to it…if I ever cooked for anyone."

"As much as I would love to try one of your conjured delights for myself, I need to get out of this tower and you do too! The castle kitchen is still open, let's go grab a bite downstairs or take something to the gardens…anything to get out of here for a few minutes."

"I am not so sure about that Princess," Cedric said with a tentative undertone. He never really dined in the castle dining room unless he was specifically asked to do so and he felt so out of place there; as for the gardens, well, that could be pleasant but the thought of him alone with Sofia in those gardens again made him slightly uncomfortable.

"I thought you saw no point in arguing."

"Fine. You win. Dining room it is."

They both hurried down the stairs and when they arrived at the dining room, one of the castle's many staff members pulled out their chairs and asked for their orders. Cedric was clearly not used to being treated this way, even after reaching critical success with his sorcery skills. Sofia asked for her favorite comfort food, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich with a glass of milk. Cedric, not wanting to be extravagant, asked for ham and Swiss on a deli roll with tea. Once the staff was out of earshot, he stared at her hard and raised an eyebrow.

"What?"

"All these years as a Princess, the ability to have anything you desire for your meal and you choose peanut butter and jelly?"

Sofia giggled, "well, the simple things in life make me the happiest. Don't knock a good peanut butter and jelly after a hard day's work!"

Their meals came out quickly and they both devoured every crumb. After a few minutes of relaxation they gave each other the same look, the one that says, 'time to get back to work,' as they rose together and headed back towards the tower stairs.

The night wore on and the castle had long gone silent as Cedric and Sofia continued to work. Somewhere in the dead of night, that time where you're not sure if it is early morning or late evening, they found themselves sitting against the wall and surrounded by hundreds of bottles of liquids. This section was going to be the toughest to inventory since a good portion of the bottles had faded labels and they both had to take guesses at what was inside.

Sofia's eyes started to droop and as Cedric continued to read the labels aloud to himself in mumbled tones, she started to doze off while leaning against the wall. Cedric glanced over and figured that he could get a few more bottles done before calling it a night and waking his sleeping apprentice, now propped up against the wall next to him. He made it through 7 or so bottles before his eyes finally gave out and he succumbed to peaceful slumber.


	10. Chapter 9

It was early morning, before dawn, when Sofia stirred; she was still sitting on the stone floor of the tower workshop and a chill had set inside the room from the open windows. There was no telling how long she had been asleep but it couldn't have been more than an hour or two. Cedric was next to her, fast asleep, still partially sitting against the wall. Cedric's extra robes were hanging on the back of the tower door and Sofia moved silently across the darkened room to retrieve them; they were his favorite, she thought, incredibly velvety and soft.

Instead of making the long walk back to her chambers, Sofia took her place next to Cedric and covered herself with the extra robes. She was not one to abandon her post and she certainly would never hear the end of it if she left Cedric asleep on the floor. As she started to drift off, she curled closer to Cedric in an attempt to keep warm; moments later, she was back in the land of slumber.

As dawn broke, both Cedric and Sofia had slipped from their respective places on the tower wall and curled into each other and under Cedric's spare robes. While still in his sleep state Cedric pulled his robes, believing them to be his bedding, closer to him along with Sofia. She didn't wake, instead she rested her head on his chest and held him tight – the way she often did with her pillows. His mind was groggy but focused on the smell of jasmine yet again. He was so captivated by the scent; he didn't feel the cold floor beneath him. His mind wandered to forbidden dreams of sharing his bed with Sofia, smelling her in every fold of his bed, feeling her embrace throughout the night. Light filtered in through the window and the rooster outside began to call out the morning's arrival.

Sofia was the first to stir. Realizing that she was grasping a sleeping Cedric, she took advantage of the moment to hug him tightly. Still lost in his forbidden dreams, and feeling Sofia's embrace, Cedric let out an audible, "Sofia," as he began to rouse from his sleep. Quick assessment of the situation forced Cedric to wake faster than he was accustomed to; Sofia had stopped hugging him and sat up slowly.

"That is the first time you've called me by my name."

"Excuse me?" Cedric was puzzled and completely unaware that he spoke in his sleep.

"Why did you say my name?"

Cedric sat up quickly next to Sofia and his face turned bright red as she place her hand on his shoulder; she had never seen him turn flush like this. Could he have been dreaming about her? She remembered what Amber had said months ago about confessing her feelings to her mystery man; all this time she had been worried about the awkwardness of the situation but her desire to let him know how she felt was stronger than ever – the timing was right, she knew.

"I most certainly have no idea what you're talking about Princess, no idea at all," Cedric stammered, the shade of red in his face deepening. He continued to fumble with his words, embarrassed and unsure of himself. Sofia pulled herself closer to him and interrupted his mumbles with a soft kiss on his cheek, holding her face to his.

Cedric's face hung low, no longer flush, filled with shock; he felt defeated and elated all at once, unable to find the words to speak. Sofia's forehead rested against his temple and she brought her hands to grasp his face in her hands as she pulled back to look at him.

For once, Cedric has no snarky remark, no dry humor, and no words at all; he was completely dumbfounded. Sofia took the opportunity to brush his long white strands of hair from his face; rising and gently kissing his forehead, she then departed from him.


	11. Chapter 10

Cedric felt drunk; the room was spinning, his heart was pounding, his stomach was in his throat, and cold chills ran down his spine. Did that just happen to him or had he been dreaming? Could she really see through the bars of his plight? Did she ache for him as he did for her?

'What will people think of us,' he asked himself, 'the Princess of Enchancia and the Royal Sorcerer don't seem like too odd of a pairing I suppose, but the age and my reputation…' his thoughts trailed off again.

Over the years, Cedric had become familiar with the rumors that pulsed throughout the kingdom about him and he could not deny there was truth in all of them. He was only a Royal Sorcerer because of his father and even though Cedric had improved his abilities and come to do wonderful things, no one felt he truly earned his title. He had let his anger and envy guide him in his attempts to undermine King Roland; which, thankfully, never panned out. He lived his life hurting others before they had the chance to hurt him, always cynical and condescending. He was never truly a good person nor were his intentions pure. Cedric's reputation was that of a villain.

Sofia, on the other hand, was the polar opposite. She had a reputation she earned, renowned for her kind and generous heart, her willingness to do the right thing, her supportive and encouraging nature; Cedric knew that if they were to end up together he would ruin her image, people would mock her and he would hate himself.

He cared about her too much to let her throw her life away on him no matter how 'right' she felt to him.


	12. Chapter 11

All the way back to her room, Sofia felt like she was floating. She was truly impressed by her boldness with Cedric and surprised at herself for being so forward. It felt like she was free.

She half wanted to share her experience with Amber but she was off visiting one of James' Flying Derby matches, she suspected there was another prince involved but she would have to question her about that later; nonetheless, Amber had encouraged her to share how she felt and even though Sofia didn't exactly tell Cedric how she felt, the picture drawn was pretty clear. She knew Cedric would need some time to process what happened and after the long night they both had she felt like some rest would do them both good.

Once back in her room, she was delighted to find an assortment of fruit and pastries waiting for her. She had told her parents that she would be working late and she was excited to start big projects that coming Monday; they had made sure to put all of her favorites into a basket with a note:

"_Dearest Sofia, we're so very proud of how dedicated you are to your apprenticeship. You are so busy preparing to take care of everything else we thought you might forget to take care of yourself. We love you and will see you Sunday at dinner after your brother's match. We love you. – Mom & Dad_"

Sofia's heart swelled and she made herself get a shower before she indulged in her bounty of delicious treats.

When her stomach was full, her thoughts turned back to Cedric and wondered how he felt. She wondered if he was going to reject the idea of the two of them together, pondering the reasons why, and thought about what she could say to him to make him realize just how much she cared. Before drifting off to sleep for the day, she decided to visit him that evening.


	13. Chapter 12

The castle was quiet since most of the royal family was away and Sofia had left instructions with the castle staff not to disturb her. The evening breeze blew through the castle corridors carrying with it a tune all its' own.

Sofia had left her robes behind in her room, donning her standard plush bedtime robe over her long silky purple nightshirt. She was in no mood to be anything but 100% comfortable right now. She made her way up the tower stairs towards Cedric's workshop and paused outside the door before offering up her familiar knock.

"The door is open," Cedric called softly.

Sofia came in and was surprised to see Cedric out of his normal robes and in a similar bedtime robe adorned with a small black raven on the collar, no doubt a tribute to his late friend Wormwood.

"I wasn't sure I should stop by but I needed to see you. I need to explain."

"I think we both need to say a few things. Why don't we take a walk in the gardens tonight? The moon is bright and I think we both need to stay out of this tower for right now."

Sofia nodded in agreement, relieved by how calm and caring Cedric's tone was. They descended the tower stairs once again and made their way out to the castle gardens.

"I want to take you to one of my favorite spots in the gardens Cedric," Sofia said. She passed his lead and tugged on the sleeve of his robe as though it would ensure that he was, indeed, going to follow her. Cedric remained quiet and followed her to the spot that he had spied her at so many months ago.

"Here it is! Isn't it lovely? It is quiet and I come here a lot to think."

Cedric sat on one of the nearby benches, the same that he saw Sofia lay on before, she sat next to him but stared straight ahead towards the darkened tower.

"Princess, I can't deny that what happened this morning was lovely. The truth is that no matter how either one of us feels I am simply…"

"Not good for me?" Sofia interrupted, "I know what you're going to say; you are afraid of my reputation being tarnished by yours and afraid that the age difference will give cause for people of Enchancia to talk. I know and I don't care."

"Princess, please…"

"Stop calling me 'Princess' like that is what defines me," she stopped for a moment to compose herself again, "Do you know why I like this spot in the garden Cedric?"

"This is a rhetorical question I presume?"

She shot him a playfully disapproving glance over her shoulder as she leaned forward, "I come here to watch the tower and think of you… I never realized it before and I had always assumed that I simply liked this spot because it was pretty or quaint. I came to understand that this spot made me feel connected to you; I would come here when I needed to clear my head or gather my thoughts and, by staring at your tower, it was as if I was talking directly to you. Sometimes you'd be up there working late, other times the tower would sit dark as it is now and I could only assume you were avoiding people elsewhere in the castle."

"I walk the garden wall," he blurted out unexpectedly, "to smell the jasmine at night; it helps me clear my head."

The moonlight cast shadows in the garden that danced for them, giving them an excuse to remain silent for a moment.

"What will people say of us? Of you? Have you thought about that?" Cedric's tone was sorrowful.

"And have you ever thought that perhaps you're too hard on yourself? That maybe you've suffered enough; warred with yourself to the point that now it is okay to win?"

Sofia stood and faced Cedric, still sitting, and stared at him hard. He met her gaze and she extended her hand; he did not take it but rose.

"Cedric you've spent a lifetime stuck in silence, afraid that you will do or say something wrong. So what if we are 20 years apart? I am not ashamed, why are you? I am the light to your darkness and you are the same for me, even if you don't want to believe that. If what I feel is forbidden, I want to break all the rules. If people want to talk about us, then why don't we give them something to talk about?"

"Sofia, I am not ashamed of you," he said, placing his open hand on her face.

"Say it again."

"I am not ashamed of you."

She smiled, put one hand over his and the other on his chest, "no, my name…"

"Sofia…" Cedric was interrupted again but he wouldn't complain; she had brought her face closer to his and kissed him deeply and softly on the lips under the silvery glow of the moonlight. He didn't fight it, he didn't stop himself either; he kissed her back and felt whole for the first time in his entire life.


End file.
